1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a slider, which is contacted with a surface to be slid on, in particular to a slider, which is employed with a potentiometer or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a slider, which is employed with a potentiometer for a position sensor or the like, it has been proposed, for example, one shaped like teeth of a comb provided with a plurality of rectangular tongues (teeth of a comb) as shown in FIG. 8 (See FIG. 1 of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 275356/1994, FIG. 5 of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 85937/1995, and FIG. 2 of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 111916/1994). As shown in the figures, the tongues (teeth of a comb) of the sliders have flat end surfaces. The conventional sliders having such teeth of a comb are used with the flat end surfaces kept contacted across the full width thereof with a surface to be slid on.
In the meantime, sliding of a slider on a surface to be slid on produces abrasion powder and sometimes leaves the abrasion powder on the surface to be slid on. If the abrasion powder remains on the surface to be slid on, the slider will inevitably climb over the abrasion powder during sliding on the surface to be slid on. On this occasion, the contact state between the tip of the teeth of a comb of the slider and the surface to be slid on drastically changes, thereby for example causing instantaneous disconnection of a signal or electric current therebetween. Such a drastic change in a contact state is not preferable because it may cause noise generation in a signal or electric current flowing through a slider and may cause deterioration of the resistance properties of a slider.